Eighteen Lords Temple

The full name of the Eighteen Lords Temple is Qianhua Eighteen Lords Shrine. Qianhua refers to Qianhua Village in Shimen District, where the temple is located. Locals also call it Alibang. The Eighteen Lords Temple has long enjoyed immense popularity and a thriving stream of worshippers. Legend has it that during the Tongzhi Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty, a sailboat carrying 17 merchants from Fuzhou and a dog unfortunately capsized and sank while en route to Mount Putuo in Zhejiang. The wreckage drifted to Qianhua Village in Shimen. All the people onboard drowned, but the dog miraculously survived. After being discovered by a resident surnamed Lian, the drowned individuals were buried together at the foot of the mountain. Seeing its masters had perished, the dog later sacrificed itself and was also buried alongside them by the residents. Subsequently, during every festive occasion, nearby residents would offer incense and worship. As time passed, people began to refer to and worship them as the Eighteen Lords.